The Appalachian Trail knows no off season. Yes, there are plenty of stretches that should be avoided once the snow starts falling and ice covers the roots and rocks (looking at you, Vermont and Maine), the A.T. is a wonderful place for winter hiking. For...
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With the holidays over and a few months of cold, inclement weather ahead, the days of hiking in the sunshine among wildflowers seem far away. But these dreary months are important—you can use them to shake the cobwebs off your gear and get your joints...
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A new year should be a fresh start, a new beginning. But what if it’s not? What if the problems of the past are still present today? (Doesn’t that sound like life?) That’s the problem with invasive species—plants, insects, animals, fish, and more—their seeds and...
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[caption id="attachment_5318" align="alignright" width="292"] Taking a short break with a light pack[/caption] A reader emailed several good questions while preparing for a backpacking trip on the Ozark Highlands Trail in Arkansas. I enjoy responding to these type of inquiries and decided to write this post. Many trip failures...
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The days between Christmas and New Year’s Eve are a time for a brief pause to reflect on the past year and to prepare for the one ahead. Or at least that’s how we use this stretch of time. For example—we reread our resolutions from last...
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Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the park, All the creatures were stirring because it was dark. The bear bags were hung from the trees way up high, In hopes that black bears haven’t learned how to fly. The campers were nestled all snug in their bags, They...
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Welcome in 2019 properly by spending New Year's Eve weekend camping in Washington. The evergreen state's temperate climate makes year-round camping a breeze. Usually literally, since campers may have to contend with some wind and mist, but that's nothing for hearty Washington residents! Here are three...
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Winter weather is fun for a few weeks, but eventually it gets old and you long for the days where the sun warms your skin and you can spend time outside and still feel your extremities. Which is why a trip to Arizona this winter is...
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Controversial. Dangerous. Cold War site. Nuclear weapons. Plutonium. Wildlife refuge. Great hiking trails. Wait...
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While a large part of the runners throughout the country are breaking out their tights, microspikes, gaiters, and mittens, it's business as usual for Texas trail runners. Houston is especially great for trail running because of the Gulf Coast in the south, Texas coastal prairies in...
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